The New Zambonini Curtain Walls Building: The company's head office as a reference project

Zambonini Curtain Walls, one of the leading Italian suppliers of façade technology and metal cladding for residential and commercial buildings has opened its new head office in Fiorenzuola d‘Arde near Piacenza. The design of the company's new building was the result of an architectural competition with 181 participants. The winner was the contribution of the Florentine architects ARCHEA. Zambonini was both the client and the general contractor and completed its own project in only twelve months.

The sail-shaped façade of the building has been clad with special profiles which reduce the penetration of sun radiation and therefore energy-intensive air conditioning during the hot season. During the winter months, on the other hand, the exposed position of the building allows optimum use of the sun's radiation and heating cost savings. GEZE's state-of-the-artautomatic door systems and window technology also make a contribution to the energy efficiency and safety of the building. They also harmoniously fit into the architecture of the showpiece building.

The building entrance was equipped with a filigree automatic linear sliding door system with all-glass leaves and break-out function of the type GEZE TSA 360 NT-BO. The frame profiles and fittings system are invisibly integrated between the panes of glass. There are no visible or protruding parts on the surface of the glass. The printing of the edge of the glass on the inside of the pane allows all the fittings technology to disappear behind it. This GEZE solution enables continuous aesthetics and design freedom. For example, the edge of the glass can be printed in different RAL colours.

The automatic door is not only convenient to access and – for attentive passers by – the fascination of the "open sesame" experience lasting a few fractions of a second. The very good thermal insulation properties of the 40 millimetre thick double-glazing of the all-glass leaf also contributes to the building's positive energy balance.

Safety criteria play an increasingly important role, especially in large buildings. In order to be able to leave the building safely and quickly in dangerous situations, the break-out function of the door allows the door leaf and side panels to be pushed open in the escape direction. This produces the largest possible escape route width. Safely leaving the building in case of fire, without the help of the emergency services is ensured by an intelligent GEZE smoke and heat extraction system (RWA) in the staircase. It ensures that fire smoke in the escape routes is efficiently dissipated as soon as it appears. This is done through fresh air vents in the bottom part of the building and exhaust air vents in the top part of the building. The RWA has a double function: with its air-moving power it not only ensures safe and reliable smoke removal from the building in case of fire. A welcome side-effect, which saves more energy, is its use for daily natural ventilation.